By Solange Hando

No one had warned me about the dogs. They came down that night and raced around the tent, skidding, growling inches from my face. Lama called out:” Do not worry, Madame. They attack only if you run.” I dived into my sleeping bag.

The Hidden Himalayas

Deep in the heart of the Himalayas, nestled between the sweltering Indian subcontinent and the frozen plains of the Tibetan plateau, Humla lies hidden in the far northwest corner of Nepal. Shadows of the towering Saipal range and sacred Takh and Changla Himals loom over this barren forgotten basin of the mighty Karnali River.

Midway on the day-long drive between Kathmandu and Pokhara lies the hilltop settlement of Bandipur - a Newar town with its age-old flabour intact. Catching the historical trail at Dumre Bazaar, one climbs through pristine forests to arrive at a township that has hardly changed.